Lab A – Washed Away (Review)

This is like an aggressive modern-day updated version of some of the stuff that was being played by some of the bands that sat on the heavier end of the nu-metal spectrum in the late 90s/early 00s. It reminds me strongly of that time period, while still bringing in some more modern aggression with elements of metalcore and deathcore.

There’s plenty of groove and bouncy aggression as you might expect, but I also like that the band are more than happy to speed things up and increase the intensity levels when they want to.

The vocals are mainly savagely screamed growls that combine both highs and lows into a venomous delivery that’s quite at odds with the actual music in some ways. Don’t misunderstand, it all fits together nicely, but in the main the vocals are more feral and unrestrained than the music itself is. Other vocal styles appear too, most notably cleans that dominate the third song here; these also work well.

These tracks are surprisingly more-ish and addictive. On first listen I liked it, but wasn’t overly impressed. However, the more time I spent with this EP the more the songs got under my skin. There’s more depth and substance here than you might initially think, and the combination of catchy riffs, engaging melodies, and vocal hooks are enough to keep you coming back for more.

The songs are quite diverse, with each track having its own character and style. Each one has something different to offer the listener, and overall it’s a brief, but enjoyable, collection of tracks.

The EP also features a strong sound that shows off the band’s talents to their fullest effect.

I enjoyed this, and hope that the band continue to develop their style and get more exposure. Check them out.